How Does a Mammogram Work?
A mammogram is a series of low-dose X-ray images of the breasts. Getting a regular mammogram is the best primary screening method to find breast cancer early, because it can show growths in the breast or other signs of breast cancer when they are too small for you or your health care provider to feel them.
To get a mammogram, you will need to take off your shirt and bra. While standing in front of the mammogram unit, a technologist will position your breast on a small platform. A clear plastic plate will press down on your breast while a mammogram image is acquired. This compression of the breast helps spread out the breast tissue so that it doesn't overlap as much, allowing for a clearer look at the breast tissue.
If you’re worried about how the procedure feels, you should know that most women do not find it painful. Some women may find the pressure on the breast uncomfortable, but it usually lasts for only a few seconds.
The FDA’s regulations already require that facilities provide patients an easy-to-understand summary of their mammography results within 30 days after the mammogram, and that they make reasonable attempts to communicate the results as soon as possible if indications of potential cancer are found.
The FDA has amended the regulations to require that facilities also provide you with information about whether your breast tissue is dense or not dense. This is important, because dense breast tissue can make cancers more difficult to find using a mammogram; and it is also now known to be an independent risk factor for developing breast cancer.
Call your health care provider if you notice any change in either of your breasts.
Why Is Facility Certification Important?
Under the MQSA, mammography facilities must be certified by the FDA, or an FDA-approved state certifying agency, to provide mammography services. Certification is important because it indicates that a facility has met the MQSA requirements for practicing quality mammography. A high-quality mammogram can help detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages.
Each mammography facility is inspected every year. During the inspection, an FDA or FDA-trained inspector checks the facility’s equipment, staff training qualifications, and quality control records. Each facility also undergoes an in-depth accreditation process every three years to be eligible for an MQSA certificate.
The certificate, which is required to be prominently displayed, shows that the facility has met the MQSA quality standards and may legally perform mammography.
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